Preseason scrimmages are over for the Mancos Blue Jays football team.
While some area schools are set to play an exhibition-type scrimmage during what is deemed "zero-week" for the 2015 season, the Blue Jays are scheduled to face off against the Norwood Mavericks.
"They're pretty good all around," said Mancos co-head coach Bill Parsons. "They like to pound it, then surprise you with a pass. And they usually throw pretty well. They're just a really good, well-rounded team."
It will be a tall order for the Blue Jays, as Norwood appears to churn out talent year after year. The Mavericks haven't lost more than two games in a single season since 2008, and they finished last year with a 10-1 record, their only loss coming in the state quarterfinal game.
But the Blue Jays aren't intimidated.
"We enjoy playing them," said Parsons. "It's usually a pretty hard hitting game. We've come out on the short end the last three or four years, but our kids look forward to it. It's always fun to play Norwood."
After a solid week of two-a-day practices, Parsons and co-head coach Josh Gardner have determined the Blue Jays' starting lineup. And this week, seniors Drew Morgan, Everett Strazza-Whalen, Austin Howerton and junior Axel Bonde were chosen as team captains.
They will look to guide the Blue Jays this Friday, August 28 when they travel to Norwood to take on the Mavericks at 7:00 p.m.
"Our goal is to hang with them and hang with them, and then see what happens," Parsons said. "The longer we can hang in there the better our chances are.
"But we're going up there to win."